It is back to The Joan on the campus of Marshall University.  Joan C. Edwards Stadium will see the Marshall Thundering Herd take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.  The last time Carrie and I were in The Joan was to see Louisiana Tech take on The Herd on November 16, 2019.  It was a cold night.  The Herd whipped Tech.

It was indeed a night for layers.

Ironically enough, we have a night game again.  Kickoff is at 7 PM.

This week’s College Football action kicks off in about a half an hour.  I need to get on it!

First, congrats to the Brownstown Central Braves for giving Triton Central a game last night when no one expected the Braves to be anywhere near the competition.  Triton came in ranked 4 in 3A.  BC came in on crutches.  The Braves held their own on Elm Street and ended their season 6-5.

On to today’s picks.

Last week my prognostication was disastrous, not unlike Indiana’s performance against Rutgers.

Arkansas beats Auburn…Even on the plains.

Florida State beats Georgia Tech…The Ramblin Wreck in a wreck.

Ohio State beats Penn State…The Nittany Lions only hope for a win is me picking Brutus.

Minnesota beats Rutgers…Goldy is happy to be home.

Illinois beats Nebraska…And to think, Indiana beat Illinois.

Wake Forest beats Louisville…The Demon Deacons will gain more yards than Air Coryell.

Northwestern beats Iowa…The wheels are off in Iowa City.  U-G-L-Y is the Iowa battle cry.

South Carolina beats Mizzou…The other USC is golden at home.  No one else wants to play there.

Marshall beats Coastal Carolina…I want to see the team that beat Notre Dame tonight.  Coastal Carolina, a team I have never seen, was ranked coming into the season.

Tennessee beats Kentucky.…Go Cats.

USC beats Arizona…Tommy Trojan likes the dry air.

Ole Miss beats Texas A & M…Kyle Field will be loud.  Those folks in Texas know they know more than the visitors from Mississippi.  Sure they do.

Michigan beats Michigan State…Poor Sparty.  The respect-a-meter is down this year.

UCLA beats Stanford…The Bruins in the Rose Bowl for a night game.  Be still my beating heart.

P.S.  I was never a great fan of ESPN’s College Football Gameday.  When Desmond Howard laughs he sounds like a whacked-out Ace Frehley.   I didn’t think anything could put me off more, until Pat McAfee walked onto the set.  Justin Hayward sang it.  “We’re living in Strange Times.”

Speak the rights!

Danny Johnson

Last night the North Harrison Cougars closed out a successful varsity football season.  Seven wins and three defeats.  The older I get the faster football season comes and goes.  I don’t like that. This team was fun to watch.  A good bunch of guys.

Friday Night Lights certainly have their place.

The west endzone has always been my favorite end of the field.

The turf stayed true all season.  That was nice.  It took a long to get a decent playing surface on this field.   Glad it finally made it.

Lonely bale on the fringe.

A nice natural tunnel on my walking trail.  This too is here and gone in a hurry.  But it sure is cool.

A calm Blue River.

Fall in Southern Indiana.

Too soon they will all be sticks.

There are a few cows if you dare look into the light.

Look, if I can’t pick college football games with any more success than I have the last three weeks, at least I can share a few pictures!

Rutgers kicking an extra point against Indiana last year in the safest place in America.

And this was before folks left at halftime!

Today the Hoosiers are at Rutgers.  That would mean Piscataway, New Jersey.  Ah yes, Big Ten Country in all its Glory!

Well, here we go with week 8 picks.

Indiana beats Rutgers…If there was ever a must win for Indiana, this is the one.  If the Hoosiers lose this one, well, I don’t want to talk about it.

Clemson beats Syracuse…The pick I hope goes South.  Syracuse can’t keep this up.  Can they?

Miami beats Duke…Another one I hope to miss.  This is a Miami isn’t it?  The boys from Durham may be distracted.

Wake Forest beats Boston College…The SAT is trickling from college requirement to the politics of high schools these days.  I’d take some these players’ SAT and ACT scores and put them up against any other two teams playing today.

Maryland beats Northwestern…The Wildcats have been limping all season.  The Terps win.

UCLA beats Oregon…The old coach goes back to the old school.  This is always a great scenario.  Chip Kelly lose to the Ducks?  Never!  Go UCLA!

Arizona State beats Stanford…I know.  Stanford beat Notre Dame.  Well, so did Marshall.

Mizzou beats Vandy…Vandy is better this year.

Alabama beats Hail State… I think.  Could be a good one.

Penn State beats Minnesota…The boys from Happy Valley will be ready to improve over last week’s Michigan debacle.

South Carolina beats Texas A&M…The Aggies love the Kyle Field advantage.  The hole South Carolina plays in works against the Aggies.

Pitt beats Louisville…Hope I am wrong here.  The Cards have yet to find their team.

Washington beats Cal…Penix throws five touchdown passes, of course.

UCF beats East Carolina…John Rhys Plumlee can dance!

Enjoy and speakthe rights!

Danny Johnson

Why do I hear Dolly Parton singing 9 to 5?

Last week was the third week in a row I was betrayed by some of the teams I picked to win and yes, 9 winners and 5 losers.  Of course, I did leave the Hoosiers out of the mix last week.  This ole Homer will never pick against the Hoosiers.  I can, however, defer.  In earnest I was proud of the Indiana Hoosiers effort last week against the 4th ranked Michigan Wolverines.  The score was 10-10 at halftime.  The game is based on two halves.  With that said, we know Indiana was bested in the second half.  Still, they played hard and they are making progress.  This week things will get better for the Hoosiers.  They will beat Maryland.

This week:

Ole Miss beats Auburn…The Rebels are having a great season and that will not be lost this week.  Look for the Rebs to score 40.

Illinois beats Minnesota…The Illini are a fun team to watch and they are ranked in the Top 25.  Their only loss?  The season opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Michigan beats Penn State…The Wolverines will bounce back in a big way against the Nittany bunch.  After Michigan waded through the Hoosiers for a half, they will be ready to play.

Alabama beats Tennessee…A Top 10 matchup that should be a good one.  Are the Vols poised to take one from Bama?  I don’t think so.

Indiana beats Maryland…The Hoosiers have a new O-Line Coach and he is a Mallory Man.  That can’t hurt anything.

NC State beats Syracuse…The Wolfpack still have a great deal to play for.

Georgia beats Vandy…Yes, I too am bestowed a cupcake now and again.

Washington beats Arizona…The Huskies look to avenge a loss to that other Arizona team.

Florida beats LSU…In the Swamp?  Can LSU lose two in a row?  Yes.  Yes they can.  Gators make Coach Kelly ache again.

Mississippi State beats Kentucky...The Offense for Coach Mike Leach’s Cowbell Gang will be too much for the Wildcats.  Kentucky won’t be able to keep up.

Purdue beats Nebraska…The Boilermakers are doing better.

North Carolina beats Duke…The Tar Heels have hit their stride.  This is a football game, by the way.

USC beats Utah…USC has to try to keep up with UCLA.  Last week the Bruins beat Utah 42 to 32 and it was not that close.  College football is better when these future Big Ten teams from LA are doing well.

Clemson beats Florida State…Clemson is enjoying their good times that once belonged to the Seminoles when Bobby Bowden was coaching in Tallahassee.

Hope all are safe and sound.  Enjoy your weekend!

Speaking the rights.

Danny Johnson

Can we be in week six of College Football already?  

Say it isn’t so!

Last week was another exercise in futility for picking games.  Two consecutive weeks now of 9 winners and 5 losers.

Hopefully things will be better this week.

Wish we had more time to chat.  Need to get straight to the picks.

Mississippi State beats Arkansas…The Cowbells are louder than Pig-Sooooie!

Florida beats Mizzou…Gators all the way.

Purdue beats Maryland…Will the real Purdue Boilermakers please stand up!

Oklahoma beats Texas…Classic matchup.  Texas is struggling and so is OK.

Tennessee beats LSU…Will the TIgers be ready at 11 AM?  I don’t think so.  TV setting start times spit on tradition.  This is a night game if there ever was one.

Georgia beats Auburn…Rumor has it I will be coaching Auburn next year.

UCLA beat Utah…The Bruins are 5-0 and ranked and rolling.

Ole Miss beats Vandy…Hope that scoreboard in Nashville has new bulbs in it.

Pitt beats Virginia Tech...Panthers look good this week.

Ohio State beats Michigan State…The Buckeyes may score 50.

Illinois beats Iowa…This is my only hope of a Hawkeye win.

UK beats South Carolina…Wildcats played Santa Claus and helped Ole Miss make the Top 10.

USC beats Washington State…Could be a good one.

Washington beats Arizona State…Penix has another fine outing, of course.

That all the time we have today, boys and girls.

Keep speaking the rights.

Danny Johnson